Composite spiral casing



Feb. 19, 1924. 1,483,995 I H. B. TAYLOR COMPOSITE SPIRAL CASING I I Filed pril 24, 1922 4 Sheetsa-She et 1 TTORNE KS Feb. 19 ,1924. v 1,483,995

- H. B. TAYLOR COMPOS4ITE SPIRAL CASING Filed ril 24. 1922' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ORIQEYS v -H.IB. TAYLOR C OMPSI T E SP I-RAL CASING Fi pri; 24. 19122 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VEN TOR vTORNE YS c MPQsI'rET-sPI-RA CASING Filed April 241 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR TTORNE Y6 4 Fig. 1,

Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

v HARVEY Binomial) TAYro-n, or PHI'LADFIZPHIJA, PENNSYLVKNI'A.

I coiarosrrn srin nr ens-Ins.

Application filed A prilfi l, 192-2. SerialiNo. 556,143;

ToaZZwhomit mag concern; I I

Be it known that I, HARVEY BIRCH'A'RD TAYi-.o1' ,-a citizenof the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Rhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain :new and useful Improvements in Composite Spiral Casings, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relatesto turbines and particularly to 'volute casings for the flow to the turbine runner. The object of the invention is to -;provi-de a casing formed of steel castings and ,plate steel sections joined together in'strong and simple manner. it is also applicable to pumps. 1 II In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention I ig. l isa plan view-of a casing structu re.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 22 of F 1 the showing of certain sections of the casing being 'omitted forthe saike; of clear-ness of illustration.

Fig. 3 is .a similar viewohli-ne 3-3 of Fig. 3 is an enlargeddeta'il perspective View showing the nteriorconstruction of a port on of-"the casing. I

Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3 illus trating .a modification. I

Fig. 5 is a plan View of-a modifiedcasing structure. I I

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view online 66 of Fig. 5. r I

Fig. 7 is a plan view'o-f a further modification. I

. Fig. .8 .is'a vertical sectional'view -on;.1ine

,Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. ESP-hut showing the modified form of invention disclosed'in Figs. 7' and 8."

In the specific embodiment of the i-nven-. tion illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 the central speed vane ring -5 is. formed either as a single casting when shippingrestrictions permit, or in four or more sections, -(as shown in Fig. 5) having thevanes --6 cast integrally with the upper' and lower crowns. The inner'portionof'this spee'dring '5 provides upper and'lower flanges 7 "for attach; ment tothe central structure supporting the adjustable guide vanes and cover plate; etc;

' in a manner well *known in the art while the outer portion iofth-e speed ringbn-has the outer extensions or flanges 8 finished generallyconical surzfiaces collate-asthma of the gplate-steel seotionskofthecasing. 1

The plate steel portion of the casing-comprises a series of steel p'flateslO of generally segmental fOP-Hl so as to be; contained between ra'dial planes'of thespiral- At ithe-i-r I inner ends these sections 10 are melatively fiat, diormin gconical surfaces, where they are joined'to the flanges 4890f speed ring 5 as .by riveting or b-olti ng. These plates 10 extend substantially fiatwise io'r ,a short distance from the po-int of .attachment toifthe flanges 8 and thenicurve ontsuhstantially I circular arcs to the p'oint of attachmentfto the intermediate outer sections 11 joining the ends of plates -10'an d completing each section of; the casing. These plates 10- and l-l preferab lyabut at their ed esfa-nd are joined together "by riveting t rough; the cover plates l2.- The g ;platesl1 curve smoothly on; arcs merging iwitlithe {arcs of the plate 10 as indicated at in Fig. 2

and these plates-llare so iormed that that, edge 71 of eachplate, whiohmay be GO HSld ered -as fiormed by a radial I plane through the turbine axisiollows a 'ECU'I'VQ of som ewhat greater radius than the r-a'dii ofc'urves similarly fo'r ned-hy-radial planes but lying farther in on the spiral. Inithis manner the successive plates along the spiral are madev to overlap smoothly. The fo rw-amd edges 72 of the plateslO also have a similar curve or :bulge to that described in connection with the plates ,11 except that this cu-r-. vature decreases towards the center of t'he spiral and disappears as 'i-ndiqcated approxr mately at 73 in Fig. 2, before; the area of a-t taehment to the central ring 5 is reached; Ino-rder thatplates .10 -(or2ll) may smoothly overlap adjacent plates 10, (or 11), these plates are preferably; lthou gh not necessarily, arched or bulged slightly in the. direction' of the spiral as indicated for earam ple at75jin Fig. 1. The straicture-iormed byplates 10 and 11. begins preferably at the entranceto the; spiral (See'sectionUQ- -TQQ- and extends for substantially 270 around the cen-tralring 5,-*the.-si ze o f the plates and th a enclosed, of course, gradual-1y -de creasing as the' spiral converges.

I 'lhethroat section- 14 at and end of the spiral is louilt of cast steel formed tfor attachnrent totheiplate steel sections a -round it. This section 14; cornprises two portions 15 and '19- each ?o =f .;whi ch1or1-ns I 1 he rv egir 'n'g I conforms to the general cylindrical contour of the entrance passage of the spiral and is flanged at 16 for attachment to the entrance plate sections 17 and 18. The portion 19 forms a continuation of the converging spiral passage and is flanged at 24 for attachment to the adjacent spiral section 25. The

, portions and 19 form continuations of the surfaces of a separating vane 20 of the speed ring 5. Flanges 16 and 24 continue above and below the speed ring and are joined by curved portions '61 which are bolted to the speed'ring at 22." Horizontal and vertical web members 21 forming a box section connect the body portions 15 and 19 to the throat section 14. I i

In Fig. 4 a modified form of throat section'14 is shown adapted to be bolted to ex-' tensions 26 of the ring flanges 8 with the terminal section 25 of the volute extending within and underneath these extensions 26 and the edge flange of the throat section I 14, as shownin Fig. 4.

In'the modified form of casing shown in Fig. 5 the smaller portions of the volute are formed by cast sections 30, 31 instead of the plate sections 10, 11. This will often be advantageous since these portions are of much smaller weight than the large sections of the volute and theform of these smaller sections (Figs. 8 and 4) involves more rapid curvature than the larger sections. The bendingor bulging required in the plates of the large sections is comparatively slight and the plate structure is lighter and less expensive. Toward the smaller portions of the volute however the saving in weight decreases and the rather sharp curvatures assumed by the sections arebest' provided by cast-sections so that in many cases the cast portion of the composite casing will include to greater or less extent the end volute-see tions. I v

In the specific embodiment of this modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the central speed ring 35 is formed in four parts bolted together and each carrying its quota of cast stay vanes. Portions'of this speed ring are provided with flanges. 8-for attachment of plate sections 10, and the remainder of the ring is provided withf'flanges 38 for bolting on of cast sections 14, 30'and 31, which sec-.

tions are flanged and bolted together. The end of the last plate section 10, is received in the entrance of the cast section 31 as shown at 39 and is riveted thereto.

In some installations it may also be advantageous to substitute for the entrance sections 17, 17 cast sections-.37, 37 bolted to the throat section 14 and to each other to I complete the intake. This will give a line of cast sections 37 37, 14, 30 and 31 bolted together and riveted to the plate portion of the volute casing at each end.

In the casing of Figs. 7 8 and '8 the speed vane ring is provided in part by thepart by a series of separate inner sections all of said sectionscontaining stay vanes cast integrally with them. The throat section 40 and the volute sections 41 and 42 at the small end of the casing are flanged and bolted together and have their inner portions forming part of the speed ring as indicated by the stay vanes 46 cast integrally with said sections- The remainder of the speed ring is formed by the series of inner cast sections 43 bolted together and each section carrying a corresponding stay vane 47 cast integrally with it. The inner portions of'the sections 40, 41, 42 and 43 are provided with the circular flanges 48 for the attachment of the cover parts, etc. The outer portions of the cast sections 43 are machined with plane surfaces for attachment of the outer plate sec tions 50 and 51 which are curved and bulged to successively fit within each otherto com plete the casing, the larger sections'of the plate portion of the casingare formed by a plurality of plates .51, 52 longitudinally joined together along staggered joints 53 and the entrance section formed by plates 54, 54 is riveted to the flanges v58 of the throat section 40. In the casing shown in Fig. 7 each central cast section 43 has its outer edge 58 to which the plates 51 are riveted, planed as a straight plane surface. In this figure the separate speed ring sections do not extend completely aroundthe circumference but a gap is left where sections 41, 42 intervene. Section 40 contains a longitudinalplane surface where the plate steel barrel 54 of the intake section is riveted to it." i

This plate formationlof the -walls of the volutepassage saves metal and decreases the weight and size for transportation. The bulged formation is provided by simply pressing or bending the flat metal sections to desired shape previous to assembly and it is to be noted that this bulging to provide for overlapping of the successive sections is spiral and straight line, Successive joints between'sections 1O and'll and51, 52 are staggered with relation to each other, as.

shown, for strength and ease of construction. Each plate-metal section is joined at its inner throat portionto a solid steel casting carrying an integral vane structure so that the whole is bound together in a strong unitary structure. The relatively complicated throat formation at the wedge or baifle between the entrance and termination of the spiral is formed by solid steel casting overlapping and bolted to the central ring casting, these two castings forming a rigid central skeleton for the sur rounding plate structure. This casing is adapted for very large sizesof-units andshas been designed for use in a 70,000 H. turbine. I

I claim:

1. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal comprising a series of stay vanes cast in said structure, of a surrounding volute casing body com posed partly of cast metal and partly of plate metal.

2. In a spiral casing the combination with a central speed ring having stay vanes cast integrally therewith, of a surrounding volute casing body composed partly of cast metal and partly of plate metal.

3. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal comprising separate sections connected together and having a series of stay vanes cast in said structure, of a surrounding volute casing body composed partly of cast metal and partly of plate metal.

4. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal and a throat section of cast metal bolted to said central structure, of a volute casing body comprising a series of plate metal sections fastened to said central structure.

5. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal and a throat section of cast metal bolted to said central structure, of a volute casing body comprising a series of plate metal and cast metal sections fastened to said central structure.

6. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal comprising a series of stay vanes cast in said structure, of a surrounding volute casing body composed partly of cast metal and partly of plate metal sections, each section comprising a plate curved transversely of the spiral and bulged from edge to edge so that successive sections smoothly overlap one over the other.

7 In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal comprising separate sections connected together and having a series of stay vanes cast in said structure, of a surrounding volute casing body composed partly of cast metal and partly of plate metal sections, each section comprising a plate curved transversely of the spiral and bulged from edge to edge so that successive sections smoothly overlap one over the other.

8. In a spiral casing the combination with a central cast stay vane ring, of a surrounding volute casing body comprising at least one cast section of volute form, the remainder of the volute being of plate metal sections.

9. A volute casing body comprising a plurality of cast metal sections separated on transverse planes cutting across the volute from the inner to the outer periphery, flange joints connecting said sections, and plate metal, sections connected, together to forma,

portion of said body connected to one of said cast sections. I

10. ,In a spiral casing the combination with a central speed ring, of athroat casting bolted to said ring. between the beginning and. end of .said spiral and a plurality; of; plate-metal sections extending around said:

speed ring and throat casting and connected thereto.

11. In a spiral casing the combination with a central speed ring, of a plurality of.

integrally therewith, and the outer portion '0 of said section beign of plate metal connected to said inner portion.

13. In a spiral casing, a sectlon bounded by transverse planes cutting across the spiral from the inner to the outer periphery,the

inner portion of said section being of cast metal containing a stay vane-or vanes cast integrally therewith, and the outer portion of said section being of plate metal connectedto a plane surface on said inner portion.

14. In a spiral casing, a section bounded by transverse planes cutting across the spiral from the inner to the outer periphery, the inner portion of said section being of cast metal containing a stay vane or vanes cast integrally therewith, and the outer portion of said section being of plate metal connected to said inner portion by a riveted joint.

15. In a spiral casing, a sectlon bounded by transverse planes cutting across the spiral from the inner to the outer perlphery, the

inner portion of said section being of cast metal containing a stay vane or vanes cast 7 integrally therewith. and the outerportion of said section being of plate metal connected to said inner portion by riveting the plate metal to a plane surface on said inner portion. I

16. In a spiral casing the combination with a central structure of cast metal and a throat section of castmetal bolted to said central structure, of a volute casing body comprising a series of plate metal sectionsfastened to said central structure and overlapping one another.

17. A volute casing plurality of cast metalsections separated by transverse planes cutting across the volute from the inner. to the outer periphery, flange joints connecting said sections, and metal body comprising a plate sections overlapping one another and connected together to form a portion of said body connected to one of said cast sections.

18. A spiral casing comprising connected sections bounded by transverse surfaces cutting across the spiral from the inner to the outer periphery, the inner portions of said sections being of cast metal and the outer portions being of plate metal connected to 10 said inner portions, said plate metal sections being connected to one another by overlapping joints. 7

19. A spiral casing for a hydraulic turbine or pump extending circumferentially around said turbine or pump, comprising a portion of cast metal subtending a part of the circumference and an adjoining sheet metal portion subtending'another part of the circumference.

HARVEY BIRCHARD TAYLOR. 

